Tag: racism

I’ve heard that phrase often. Whether it’s a political candidate stumbling over whether or not to disavow an association with the Klu Klux Klan or a pastor of an almost-all-white-church stumbling through an awkward conversation… it’s something you say that makes it seem like you’re really interested when in fact you aren’t.

“We need to talk about race in America.”

For me, I see this as a placeholder phrase. It’s slightly better than saying “uh, I dunno.”

I think a lot of people truly are interested in cultivating change about race, but they just don’t know where to start. For me… it is intimidating because I am mostly ignorant of the way that society has privileged me. I find myself afraid to say the wrong things and consequently say nothing.

So perhaps instead of saying, “We need to talk about race in America” I should start saying, “I need to listen better about race in America”?

HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

If you’re like most people, you probably seek first to be understood; you want to get your point across. And in doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely. So why does this happen? Because most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. You listen to yourself as you prepare in your mind what you are going to say, the questions you are going to ask, etc. You filter everything you hear through your life experiences, your frame of reference. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating. Do any of the following sound familiar?

Listen carefully to the statement. They have taken the Arizona law and added to it more stringent requirements. Essentially, you have to provide a state issued ID proving your immigration status for any and all business transactions in the state of Alabama. Further, they put strict penalties on businesses which sell things to, rent to, or even provide transportation for, people who do not have legal status in the country.

Let’s get practical. Do you think that the grocery store is going to ID a white woman and her children at the checkout counter? Do you think a landlord is really going to look up the immigration status of a black family? Do you really think that a bus driver will ask for ID from a retired white male? Or the car dealer down the block, will he e-verify the identity of Mr. Johnson whom he has sold cars to in the past?

The law would also penalize people who knowingly harbor or give transport to illegal immigrants, a provision that many religious officials say would criminalize churches that heed what they believe is the Biblical obligation to feed, clothe and shelter the needy.

There is a lot of talk about a Presidential candidate and whether or not his pastor is a racist and if that makes the candidate a racist. Accepting money and support from extreme groups is very complicated. At the core of the problem is that it seemingly associates candidates with everything that group stands for.

This reminds me of a long-standing news story. Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was a racist. She wasn’t just “socially racist” in the way most of America were in those days, she was a published racist. In fact, she was a proponent of eugenics. Here are some quotes from Sanger:

“The undeniably feeble-minded should, indeed, not only be discouraged but prevented from propagating their kind.” link

We maintain that a woman possessing an adequate knowledge of her reproductive functions is the best judge of the time and conditions under which her child should be brought into the world. We further maintain that it is her right, regardless of all other considerations, to determine whether she shall bear children or not, and how many children she shall bear if she chooses to become a mother… Only upon a free, self-determining motherhood can rest any unshakable structure of racial betterment link

But that is in the past right?Surely, an organization as sophisticated and socially accepted as Planned Parenthood wouldn’t be racist today, would they? Consider these two pieces of evidence and discover that for yourself.

78% of Planned Parenthood clinics are in minority neighborhoods. African Americans represent about 12% of the US population but about 35% of abortions.

Planned Parenthood willingly and joyfully accepts donations earmarked clearly for aborting African American fetuses. The video below is very disturbing. It demonstrates point #2 perfectly. (Please click read more to watch the video) Here’s my disclaimer on the video... it doesn’t show dead fetuses or anything like that. It is a Pro-life activist calling two clinics, one in Ohio and one in Idaho, and attempting to earmark a gift for the elimination of African Americans. However, I’m adding it because it demonstrates my point in a powerful way.

Disclaimer

This site represents the personal thoughts of Adam McLane. Thought, opinions, and positions posted here reflect Adam McLane and not that of any other entity.

My blog is open to anyone! If you don't know me... introduce yourself. I talk about a lot of things here and I welcome your feedback on any topic. Rather not post something publicly? Shoot me an email anytime. mclanea@gmail.com